The Washington critic., 1887-11-26
WASHINGTON, NOV. 60, 1887
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES E-TREArIEs.

WASHINGTON, NOV 90, 1887.
PREsIDENT-sENAT ATE-TREArIEs.
There Is no question as TO where
Senator Frye of Maine will be found
whenever the subject Of commercial
union with Canada or the protection of
the New England fisheries comes up
for action. Yet, as appears by recent
interview, he is not of those who be.
lieye In condemnlng the course of the
Administration In submitting to joint
commission any Of the points now In
controversy between this country and
Canada or Great Britain.
Mr., Frye Is a great si!chler for the
"advice and consent of the Senate"
clause with which the Constitution
couples the power OF the President to
make treaties, but he Is well aware that
there Is nothing In the Constitution or
elsewhere TO prevent the President from
taking the initiative II he sees fit, In
measures looking to u better aud fixed
adjustment of our foreign relations.
So long as the ratification of treaty
rests with the Senate there Is no danger
OF any usurpatlon OF legislative power
on the part of the executive. The
present conference may agree upon
terms of settlement of the fisheries
question entirely satisfactory TO the sew
etal governments interested, but neither
1t nor the President can so conclude
this convention ms TO give It obligatory
force without the concurrence OF
two-thirds vote Of the Senators present.
1t is quite probable, however, that
the interchange of views and sugges.
tions now going on, and which are
pretty certain to be Of comprehensive
and exhaustive scope, will lead up to
conclusions that even the Senate, If
not wholly agreeing with them, will
find of valuable service In determining
1.-The proper line of policy to pursue.
The question will then be, not
whether the President and his advisers
have gone out of the way to exercise
functions that In some quarters are re-
garded as exclusively belonging to
Congress, but what have they accom-.
pllshed-what practical results have
they reached-what new light has been
thrown upon the matter, that entities
the work of the Commission to con.
sideration?
Mr.. Frye says distinctly that he does
not understand the Administration to
have gone any further than to appoint
couple of American gentlemen to aid
In negotiating treaty of some sort, and
he cannot see In this any special oc.
casion for censure. He has nothing to
cfiticlse until the recommendations of
these gentlemen and their associates are
called TO the attention of the Senate by
the President
Then, of course, he will act In the
way that seems to him best calculated
to promote the interests of his constitu.
ents; and such is doubtless the attitude
of Senators generally, admitting the
authority Of the Administration Ia the
premises as co ordinate branch of the
Government, but reserving final jndg-
ment 10 themselves when It comes to
the ratification of treaties, as they do
In common with the House, the right
of originating legislation.
With the power of the President as
TO treaties undisputed, there can be no
reasonable objection raised to the
methods that he may employ in the
exercise of that power, as In the pres.
ent instance by the appointment OF
commissioners to co operate with other
commissioners in clearing away the
doubts with which the question at Issue
is surrounded, and suggesting remedies
for existing evils. In this way may
the Administration be better enabled to
formulate Its judgments and facilitate
It's negotiations, not encroaching upon
the province of the Senate, but sub.
stantiating the recommendation of the
Executive with argument and informa-
tion otherwise inaccessible, and, OF
course, entitled to the Senate's respect
ful attention.
As THE TINE approaches for the
meeting of the National Republican
Committee, movements are making In
Philadelphia, Chicago and several
other cities to capture the National
Convention, each Of the aspirants as.
serting peculiar claims for the dis
tinction that will be laid before the
committee by strong local delegations.
The advance guard of the Chicago
delegation is already here. Senator
Quay, representing Philadelphia, is
also on the ground, and, from present
appearances, quite as much interest is
likely to be taken In the matter as at
any similar period In the past. when
the nominations of the Republican
party were considered equivalent to
elections.
DUN Il Co.'S Weekly Reoicc Of
1rdde to-day reports business pros,
poets In all directions improving,
though at Western centres collections
are only fair and the markets generally
close. 1t mentions as the most I'm
portant fact of the season, In Its
bearing upon railroad building,
mining, manufacturing and real estate
speculation, that the Investment OF
foreign capital in this country still
continues, not less than $l45, 900. .0OC
having arrived from abroad In this